For generations, plant and livestock breeders have been breeding crops and animals to improve yields, for disease resistance and for composition. The crops and livestock we consume today bear little resemblance to those our forefathers consumed, in that plants and animals have been selectively bred to produce certain
desirable traits. For example,we now have high-yield cereals, fruit and vegetables; faster maturing poultry;
hens that lay more eggs; cows that give more milk; pigs with leaner meat and a range of varieties of cattle selectively bred for beef production.
Scientists are now capable of identifying the genes that are responsible for some of these desired traits and
are able to manipulate them. This technique is known as genetic engineering or genetic modification and we can expect an increasing number of foods arriving on the market that have been produced using this method. A wide variety of such foods are already on the market in the U.S.A., but in Europe there are only a small number of genetically engineered food ingredients on the shelves. However, consumers have expressed concerns about these food products.
These concerns cover a wide range of issues such as food safety, potential damage to the environment, disruption of ecosystems and ethical or moral objections. The GMO and Novel Foods Sub-committee of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), formerly of the Food Safety Advisory Board, was formed in November 1996. This Sub-Committee was established in response to a request from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for advice on food and feed safety issues concerning ‘live’ Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) such as unprocessed GM soyabean seed. In accordance with its remit, the Sub- Committee has considered the GMO issue only in terms of potential risks to consumer and animal health and not in terms of environmental, economic or ethical considerations.
This report sets out to address a number of issues; the nature of GMOs, the mechanism by which GMOs are regulated in the EU, the issues considered by the Sub-committee to date, concerns expressed about this new technology and potential benefits from the technology.
Genetic engineering is a powerful tool that must be treated with respect. Like any tool, if it is used unwisely, it could have unfortunate consequences, but if used cautiously, it could prove to be extremely beneficial. The
GMO and Novel Food Sub-committee of the FSAI will continue to play a role in reviewing each product for safety before it can be launched on the market.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the GMO and Novel Foods Sub-committee and the staff of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland for their assistance in producing this report.
